Environmental and Social Sustainability in Marketing post-COVID : Marimekko and Luhta Case Studies

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to evaluate how Marimekko and Luhta have integrated different themes of responsibility into their online marketing campaigns during the post-covid period and whether Marimekko and Luhta's marketing communications can be considered truly responsible or greenwashing.

The study also examined the topic in light of future EU regulations, as the situation of companies in the field is also changing. For example, the Green Claims Directive changes the way companies can communicate their responsibility publicly, and the Sustainability Reporting Directive extends the reporting obligation to more companies. Themes related to sustainable development and responsibility have also clearly increased in Finnish textile and clothing marketing campaigns after the corona pandemic.

Qualitative research methods were used in the thesis. The research found that in Marimekko's communication, the themes of responsibility and the quality of communication are at a much more developed level compared to Luhta. The research analyzed online publications and advertisements of Marimekko and Luhta from 2022.